Refrigerator car



Feb. 6, 1923. 1,444,474.

, R. H. MCELROY.

REFRIGER'ATOR CAR.

FILED AuG.20, 1920. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Feb. 6, 1923.

REFRIGERATOR CAR.

FILED AUG. 20.1920.

2 SHEETS*SHEET 2.

Patented F eb. 6, 1923.

. UNITED STATES ROBERT H. MCELBOY, OF WILMETTE, ILLINOIS.

REFRIGERATOR CAR.

Apphcaton filed August 20, 1920. Serial No. 404,814.

Be it known that I, Roemer ll. MUELROY, a citizen ot the United States,residing at lVilmotte, illinois, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois,l have invented a new and usejtul lmprovement in RefrigeratorCars, oi which the :following s a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerator vars, and has Ator its principal object the provision oit means whereby the fuiantityot ice in the car can be deter-min l at all times without opening theice compartment. ln moet cases the ice compartments in refrigerator carsare filled from the top, so that when it is desired to know the amountof ice remaining in a co1npart-ment, it is necessary to climb to theroot oii `the car, remove the trap-door, and malte an inspection ot' theinside of the ice compartment. This requires time, labor and expense,and permits the entry ot' warm air into the ice compartment from theoutside. lVith the use of my invention, the amount ot ice in an icecompartment may readily and quickly be determined from the outside ofthe car without opening the ice compartments.

lVhen refrigerator Cars arrive at an icing terminal it is the practicein railroad operation to set the cars out for inspection and icing. This.necessitates the opening of the hatch and many times inspectionindicates the car as being properly iced when, as a mattei' or' tact,there may be only a crust of salt that has formed and no .ice in thecompartment. Such a car is allowed to go forward as being properly icedand may result in a damage claim amounting to thousands ol dollars,depending upon the character of the perishable goods being transported.

lf, however, an inspection does show the car requires icing, it isswitched to an icing plant at a material cost, as switching expenses`today are materially higher than they have ever been before. With theuse of the device involved in this construction, it would be whollyunnecessary to switch thecar if the dial on the outside of the carindicated there was sufficient ice to run the car safely to the nexticing station.

Furthermore, it would be unnecessary to open the hatch for examination,as the dial would more clearly show the condition of the icingcompartment without the necessity ot opening the hatch and letting inatmospheric temperature, which in many cases would result in warming`the entire compartment and losing just that much ice, which today isvery much more expensive than has been the case for many years past.

The record of the condition of the car, as based on the reading ot thedial by the use of this device, would indicate clearly the amount o't'ice in pounds at the icing station and, with such a record, the carrierswould be able to substantiate, in the event or a claim, the fact thatthe car was .l'ully i'ced through to destination.

A saving in the number or' refrigerator cars employed would beaccomplished, more than any saving in mileage, by reason 0f theelimination ot delays at icing terminals and 'in this nay would requireless refrigerator equipment than under the present plan.

In general, my invention comprises a scale pan or load platform arrangedin the bottom of the ice compartment upon which the ice rests. The loadplatform is connected with a weight indicator visible from -the outsideoi the car so that the weight oif ice in the compartment may be readilynoted from the outside by looking at the indicator. I also provide meansfor rendering the scale mechanism inoperative while the car is intransit, and while ice is being loaded into the compartment, so that thescale mechanism will not be injured by jarring.l lt is obvious, however,that, without detracting from the spirit ot this `nvcu tion, such nleansfor rendering the scale mechanism inoperative may be dispensed with itdesired; because it would be possible to make the mechanism strong andheavy enough to withstand the jolts of travel, and the jars of. icefalling into the compartnient,

In that form of device embodying the features or" my invention, shown inthe ac drawings, Figure l is a view on of the body of a refrigeratorcar, with a portion of the end wall removed showing the interior oi' theice com rtment. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on theline 2 of Figure l. Fig. is a horizontal sectional view taken on theline 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line4 of Fig. 3.

As shown in said drawings, G indicates in general the body of arefrigerator car in which the ice compartment in one end is nected by anendless chain indicatedbyv?. andthe ice therein by S. Access to the icecompartment 7,' for filling is had through the trap-doors 9 on the rootof the car. Such parts may berotany ordinary construction and form nopart ot the present invention. Likewise, ducts, or-open ings, forpermitting circulation olf air bach and forth from the ice compartment 7to the interior of the car 10, of any suitable form or construction maybe provided; and since they iorm no part of the present invention, arenot described or shown in particular in the drawings.

Arranged slightly above the stationary bottom l12 of the ice compartmentis a scale pan or load platform 1B supported by four shortarms 14 at thecorners suspended by four chains 15 extendingupwardly and overthesprockets 16 mounted on the two parallel shafts 17 suitably supportednear the top ot 'thecan The chainsl entend over the sprockets 16 andthen downwardiy-g with their ends attached to the upper ends ot spiralsprings 1S which in turn have their lower ends attachedfto the eyes 1i)suitably fastened to a part ot the ear body. Each of the parallel.shafts 17 carries rigidly mounted thereon two ot the sprockets 1G, andin addition near each end an additional sprocket 21.. Each pair` oi"sprockets 2l at the adjacent ends of the sha1-'ts 17 are con 2:2; sothat rota tion of one shaft 17 will necessarily cause rotation of theother. The `function ot the connection between the two shafts 1T by thechains 22 is to prevent tipping oit the load platform. 13. Vith suchconnection it is impossible for one side to move upwardly ordownwardlymore rapidly than the other. h The chains 15, springs 18, and shafts 17with the sprocketsv carried thereby are all arranged between the doublewalls at the sides of the ice compartment; such double walls at the endof the car being indicated by 31 and 317 and the doublewall between theice compartment andthe interior ot the car 10 being indicated by 32 andThe varms 111' extend through the slots and 36 provided invth'ewalls 31and 32 respectively.

One or the chains 'l5 at the' end' 'of the car is somewhat shorter thanthe other three and has-interposed between its end and the `spfing 18 ashort bar iO'with indicator i slot el' projecting `'out-wardly throw I 1the outer wall 31? of the ear l A t the side 'of the slot 42a' suitable`V1`nder isarranged j morder that travel of the indicator. i1 may Je'noted'. The' tension: of the 'springs` 18 uch that wh'enftli'e icecompartment 7 is ubstantial'ly fall, the' .springs will be e5.- tndedandthe Iindicator L111 will he .nearly toV the top of 'the index'. and whenit is empty7 such indicator will be nearlyA to 'the bottom withy thesprings compressed. lit 'desired markings 'may `.be 'put on thel indexpi attorin e 4:5 in order to record the weight of the ice on the loadplatform for the different posi tions of the indicator L'l-1. rlhe loadplatform 1,33 isperforated as indicated by in order to permit thedrainage oi' water from the melting ice.

1 have also shown means for rendering the weighing mechanism inoperativein order to prevent damage 'from jars or jolts duringtransit or duringthe filling operation. 1t is obvious, however, that Vsuch means may bedispensed with, or not used, without departing from the spirit of myinvention; since it would be possible to make the parts heavy enough towithstand such jars and jolts. Such means, as I have shown them.comprise a brake-drum mounted on the sha-its 1T which is supported nearthe end of the car. Such braltedruin 55is surrounded by abralre-band 56adapted to be held tightly around the drum by the compression spring 57'operating between the wall 31a and the stop 58 arranged on the bar 59which in turn has its end attached to a lever (50 mounted on a shortrotatable shaft 61 carrying on one end the cross piece 62 to the ends ofwhich are attached the ends ol' the brake-band 56. rThe bar 59 extendsoutwardly through the wall 31a and terminates inthe handle 65 permittingit to be pulled out to compress the spring 57, roclr the sha't 61 andlcross piece 62, thus loosening the brake-band 56 and permittingrotation of the4 drum. 55 and shaft 17. As showm the parts are soarranged that'normally the spring-57 will prevent rotation of the shaft17, and `consequently prevent any movement upwardly or downwardly oicthe load platform 13, thus preventing bouncing up and' down of the loadplatform and movement of the springs from jars and jolts in transit orduring the filling process. lflvlhen it desired however, to permitmovement `oit the load platform in order that theV indicatorv l1 mightshow the weight '01"' the ice thereon, all that is neces- Vsary is topull the handle 65 outifmrdly,` thus releasing the brake-drum 55 `andpermitting rotation of the shaft 17, whereupon,the-load be determined bythe weight of ice thereon with the consetpientV indication by theindieater 4 1. li desired, the means for holding -vhe platte-rin may bedispensed with by revmovingt'he hralrewlruin 55 or suo-'h inea-ns may berendered inoperative' byl pulling eut the handle 65 and holding thesarneinsuch position byinserting a `suitable wedge betweenJ the shoulder d()on ther'od 59 andj'the wall 313-.

While 1v have shown and described certain embodmentsjotl'my invention,it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifcations. yyChanges- `therefore in the construction and arrangementmay bemade willtaire such position as may without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is myintention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly aspossible in view of the prior art.

Although I have shown the weight indicator as being located at the endof the car, it is obvious that, without detracting from the spirit ofAthis invention, it may be placed at the side of the car. Perhaps, inordinary use, the side of the car would be a better location for theWeight indicator than the end, because so located the weight indicatorson separate cars in a train could be more easily observed by any onewalking along the side of the t-rain.

What I claim as new and desire to securevv by Letters Patent is:

l. rIhe combination with a refrigerator ear having an ice compartment,of an ice receiving platform suspended in the ice compartment, and aweight indicator on the outside of the body of the car and connected tothe platform suspension means, whereby variations in the Weight of theload of ice carried by said platform may be seen without opening saidice compartment.

The combination with a refrigerator car having an ice compartment, of anice receiving platform suspended in the ice compartment and a weightindicator on the outside of the body of the car and connected to theplatform, suspension means to indicate the upward and downward movementsof said platform due to variations in the load of ice carried thereby,whereby variation in such load may be seen Without opening said icecompartment.

rI`he combination with a refrigerator car having an ice compartment, ofan ice supporting platform therein, means connected with said platformto cause the same to move vertically with variations in the Weight ofthe ice thereon, and a Weight indicator on the outside of the body ofthe car and connected with said platform for indicating the verticalmovements thereof, whereby variations in the weight of the ice carriedby said platform may be seen without opening. said ice compartment.

4. The combination with a refrigerator car having an ice compartment, ofweighing mechanism comprising) an ice receiving platform suspended inthe ice compartment, and a weight indicator on the outside of the bodyof the car and connected with said platform, whereby variations in theweight of the load of the ice carried by said platform may be seenwithout opening said ice compartment, and means for rendering saidweighing mechanism inoperative.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and sea-l this 16thday of August A. D. 1920.

ROBERT H. MGELROY. [Ls]

